Re: Why is it that henna not prescribed for men?

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Posted by Catherine Cartwright Jones on May 11, 2000 at 06:31:49:

In Reply to: Why is it that henna not prescribed for men? posted by Babaganooj on May 10, 2000 at 23:13:26:

In India, certainly prior to 1500 CE, henna was used about equally
between both men and women, and didn't seem to have any particularly
strong ties to a belief system. India seems to have had a separate and
parallel origin of henna to the the Middle East.

However... traditions stemming from the Middle East were entirely
different.

Prior to 550 CE in the Middle East, men certainly used henna as a
symbol of valour when going into battle, and to a certain extent up to
the 19th century as a battle marker. But even in the Bronze Age,
henna was more commonly used by women than men. In the earliest
period, 7000 BCE to 550 CE, henna was associated with the belief
system surrounding the Virgin Warrior goddess (going by several names
including Anath, Tanith, and Inanna) and the Fertility goddess
(several variations again, Asherah, Astarte, Ishtar). Women used
henna as part of the years cycle of religious festivals, and as part
of their bridal preparations within these religions. Those religions
and the civilizations that supported them were largely gone by the
rise of the Roman Empire, though henna was still certainly used in the
Middle East through that period.
When Islam rose (partly due to the economic collapse following the
Roman Empire) the Prophet Mohammed specified (or is alleged to have
specified) that henna primarilly be used by women as a part of gender
identification (to more easily separate the sexes). As Islamic
society pushed the sexes grew more towards a complete apartheid,
gender identity in body markings became extremely important. Men who
used henna at times other than at specific festivals and just a bit at
their wedding were viewed as insufficiently masculine. Certainly, the
fact that there was often a male prostitute class (who cross dressed
and hennaed) in many of the urban capitals of the medieval Islamic
world must have contributed to the sense that a "manly man" shouldn't
wear henna.
I also suspect that the event of pre-adolescent circumcision (at 9 -
13 years old), when a boy was hennaed like a bride just prior to
excruciating pain, may have played a strong role in men's intense
unwillingness to wear henna (really, really bad associative memories).

Follow Ups:

Re: Why is it that henna not prescribed for men? Babaganooj 16:02:20 5/11/00 (2)
- Re: Why is it that henna not prescribed for men? Catherine Cartwright Jones 16:46:09 5/11/00 (1)
  - Re: Why is it that henna not prescribed for men? Kenzi 20:58:38 5/11/00 (0)

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: In India, certainly prior to 1500 CE, henna was used about equally : between both men and women, and didn't seem to have any particularly : strong ties to a belief system. India seems to have had a separate and : parallel origin of henna to the the Middle East. : However... traditions stemming from the Middle East were entirely : different. : Prior to 550 CE in the Middle East, men certainly used henna as a : symbol of valour when going into battle, and to a certain extent up to : the 19th century as a battle marker. But even in the Bronze Age, : henna was more commonly used by women than men. In the earliest : period, 7000 BCE to 550 CE, henna was associated with the belief : system surrounding the Virgin Warrior goddess (going by several names : including Anath, Tanith, and Inanna) and the Fertility goddess : (several variations again, Asherah, Astarte, Ishtar). Women used : henna as part of the years cycle of religious festivals, and as part : of their bridal preparations within these religions. Those religions : and the civilizations that supported them were largely gone by the : rise of the Roman Empire, though henna was still certainly used in the : Middle East through that period. : When Islam rose (partly due to the economic collapse following the : Roman Empire) the Prophet Mohammed specified (or is alleged to have : specified) that henna primarilly be used by women as a part of gender : identification (to more easily separate the sexes). As Islamic : society pushed the sexes grew more towards a complete apartheid, : gender identity in body markings became extremely important. Men who : used henna at times other than at specific festivals and just a bit at : their wedding were viewed as insufficiently masculine. Certainly, the : fact that there was often a male prostitute class (who cross dressed : and hennaed) in many of the urban capitals of the medieval Islamic : world must have contributed to the sense that a "manly man" shouldn't : wear henna. : I also suspect that the event of pre-adolescent circumcision (at 9 - : 13 years old), when a boy was hennaed like a bride just prior to : excruciating pain, may have played a strong role in men's intense : unwillingness to wear henna (really, really bad associative memories).

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